The Unz Review | Hans Vogel – Léon Degrelle, Greatest Belgian of the Twentieth Century

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Léon Degrelle, Greatest Belgian of the Twentieth Century

A few years before he died in 1994, Léon Degrelle wrote Tintin, Mon Copain | Tintin, My Buddy, an extraordinary Auto Biography. Actually, it is A double, or rather threefold Biography, namely of himself and of the Comic Strip Hero Tintin and his Creator Hergé. In A sense therefore, it can be regarded as A modern version of the double Biographies, “Parallel Lives”, that Plutarch wrote in Antiquity. Focus is on Degrelle’s own life, but Tintin’s adventures are often strikingly similar to Degrelle’s own.

When one tries to find out who Degrelle was, Wikipedia provides A first answer “A Belgian Walloon Politician and Nazi Collaborator.” According to the more nuanced and detailed French Wikipedia site, he is A “Journalist, Author and Publisher Active in the Belgian Roman Catholic Movement.” Indeed, Degrelle was an Author, Poet, Journalist, Publisher, then A Politician and finally A Soldier. That is about the most impartial description. It must be realized that Degrelle wrote countless Articles and dozens of Books, because he truly was A committed, passionate Author.

Almost everywhere else Degrelle is being outrageously Vilified. Usually with Epithets like “Right Wing,” “Far Right,” “Nazi,” or “Fascist” intended to instill disgust. Indeed, most will refrain from reading on or looking further, merely registering Degrelle was “Bad.” In other words, Degrelle has been relegated to somewhere outside Official History.

In neutral terms, Degrelle was A Belgian Author, Journalist, Politician and Soldier. Born in 1906 into A well to do Bourgeois Family in the little Town of Bouillon, with at that time less than three thousand inhabitants, on the Semois River in the Belgian Province of Luxembourg, young Léon received A traditional Roman Catholic Education. After Elementary School in his Hometown, he went to an exclusive Jesuit run Secondary School in Namur, together with some two hundred Students from the Walloon Roman Catholic elite. The Curriculum consisted of the Traditional Subjects plus, of course, many hours of Latin and Greek.

In 1924 Degrelle entered his Freshman Year, Law School, at the Jesuit run Catholic College, Faculté Catholique de Namur. He was expelled for persuading his Fellow Students to take part in A poll to find out who was the most popular Author, organized by the Faculty. Some seventy percent voted for Charles Maurras, leader of the “Far Right” Action Française Movement, considered A Fascist Organization.

Degrelle then entered the Catholic University at Louvain, the oldest in The Low Countries. It was here that his Talent for Practical Jokes came to full fruition. In 1927 he managed to resuscitate A Little Moribund Student Newspaper, thus drawing the Attention of Father Norbert Wallez [1], who directed the Roman Catholic Newspaper Le XXe Siècle, Circulation 15.000. Wallez offered Degrelle A Job, allowing him to write on anything he fancied.

Degrelle then proved to be A True Investigative Journalist, rather than just A Presstitute. He uncovered Truly Important Issues. For Le XXe Siècle he wrote A Series on Slums in Belgium’s Major Cities Brussels, Antwerp and Liège, initially presented on an Interior Page, and afterward on the Main Page. Bringing his own Photographer along, he did all the Research, mingling with the Slum Dwellers, asking All the Important Questions, and writing down the Names and Addresses of the Landlords who dared charge Outrageous Rents for Scandalously Sub Standard Housing. Living there was Unhealthy to the Point that it made People Sick. With the Report, later published in Book Form, Les Taudis, Louvain, 1930, Degrelle made A Name for himself as A Fighter for Social Justice. Needless to say the Report on Slums that also mentioned the Names of Landlords, caused A Stir and led to Improvements in the Living Conditions of many A Slum Dweller.

Indeed, Degrelle was Committed to Social Justice Long Before the Term became Fashionable. Unlike Modern Day Social Justice Warriors [2] who seem Chiefly Concerned about Appearances, A Correct Moral Self Image and who tend to be Selective in Organizing their Actions Degrelle, On the Basis of his Faith and Deeply Rooted Religious Convictions, was A Truly Passionate Warrior for that Social Justice. Much of what he did was Out of Genuine Social Commitment On the Basis of A Christian Love for his Fellow Man.

It was with Such Ideas in Mind that in 1929 Degrelle decided to Travel to Mexico to Witness how Anti Clericals and Marxists were Taking it Out on Roman Catholics. Taking A Plane from Brussels to Hamburg, Degrelle there Boarded A Ship to take him to Mexico, where in 1926 an uprising had begun against the Government’s Anti Clerical Policies. Rapidly Morphing into A Civil War, the So Called Guerra Cristera, or Cristero Rebellion, It Lasted until 1929. Between 25.000 and 50.000 Roman Catholic Rebels were Killed, Many Brutally Slaughtered or Hanged on Roadside Telephone Poles. Unhinged Repression had begun in 1928 under Mexico’s Fanatically Anti Clerical President Plutarco Elias Calles. Degrelle arrived Just in Time to Witness the Last Stages of This Now Largely Forgotten Struggle [3].

Le XXe Siècle, namely the Cartoonist Paul Jamin, Jam, and the Artist Georges Remi, Working under the Name of Hergé. The three became Close Friends. From Mexico, Degrelle started sending Stacks of Local Newspapers to the Brussels Head Office, where Hergé was Deeply Impressed by the American Comics in Those Papers. These encouraged him to start A Comics Strip of his own. The Protagonist was Tintin, an Undaunted Reporter, and A Replica of Léon Degrelle, with A Lock of Hair Standing Straight Up in the Midst of his Head, like Degrelle on Early Photographs, and plus Fours like Degrelle Used to Wear. The Shape ofthe Head and the Facial Features Also Resembled Degrelle’s. Hergé gave him an Inseparable Canine Companion called Snowy.

The Origins of the Charming Quadruped are Not Devoid of Interest. Leafing through Magazines to find A Suitable Example, Hergé and Degrelle saw Pictures from the Trenches of the First World War. On Some of These, A Little White Terrier could be seen in the Midst of A Group of German Soldiers [4]. “It was Because of One of Those Soldiers that the Picture had Been Published (…). Which Soldier You will Ask. I Hardly Dare Answer Because You Might Explode. Let Me Just Say his Name Began with an H (…) OK, Adolf H, If You Insist! Look at that Old Photograph and You LL Understand.”

From his religious background and sincere Christian charity, Degrelle tried to fight the injustices he saw, realizing at the same time that such struggles are futile when those who cause injustices cannot be called to answer. This position was shared by many and therefore, but also because Degrelle was a protégé of Louis Picard, leader of the Association Catholique de la Jeunesse Belge, Belgian Catholic Youth Association [5] he did not hesitate to mention the culprits when he knew their names. It yielded much sympathy and active support. For instance from Paul Crokaert [6], a retired politician who gave him confidential information concerning widespread malfeasance by many politicians [7]. With this knowledge, Degrelle then proceeded to attack some renowned, respected but corrupt Catholic heavyweights, not limiting himself to the written word, but also debating his victims in public, confronting them with their misdeeds. One of them was Gaston Philips [8], who had been made director of Le Vingtième Siècle after Father Wallez had been sidetracked. Invariably, those attacks resulted in Degrelle’s opponent ending his career, which gave Degrelle the reputation of a truly formidable opponent. This came in handy when he decided to form a political party of his own.

At this juncture, it is useful to keep in mind that the term social justice originally is a “right wing” political concept. Finding general acceptance in Europe during the Interwar period, Degrelle was one of the first to use it with consistency. Unquestionably, the term has a Roman Catholic background and flavor, because it is not found in predominantly Protestant nations. Degrelle made it a central element of the political party REX he founded in the mid-1930s. After 1945 the concept notably reemerged in Argentina (justicia social), becoming the nucleus of General Juan Domingo Perón’s political program. Officially therefore, Peronism is called Justicialismo (“Justice-ism”). If present-day SJW’s knew this, they might tone down a bit. Even if Peronism has earned unmerited kudos, thanks to its own madonna Evita Perón and her purported compassion, the uncomfortable fact remains that Perón provided sanctuary to fugitive Nazis and “collaborators”.[9]

Degrelle decided to enter politics because he had seen how corruption and mismanagement stood in the way of the development and happiness of many less privileged members of society. Therefore, he named his party REX (after the Latin Christus Rex, meaning “Christ is King”), as a clear message of its Roman Catholic origin. Degrelle was a charismatic public speaker effortlessly attracting tens of thousands. His mass meetings drew record numbers eagerly paying their entry fees and thus contributing to party finances. Whether in the Sports Palaces of Antwerp (35,000 capacity) or Brussels (25,000) or on a field at Lombeek near Brussels (60,000), tickets easily sold out[10].

At the general elections of May 24, 1936, REX gained more than eleven percent of the vote (almost 300,000), sending shockwaves through the political system. With the similarly inspired Flemish Nationalists of the VNV party getting seven percent, it meant that the two “right wing” parties critical of the democratic order won one fifth of the vote, mostly from young or first time voters. In other words, many young Belgians rejected the prevailing system that was controlled by the three main parties: Socialists, Catholics and Liberals[11].

Like many young Belgians, King Leopold III (five years younger than Degrelle), who had become King in 1934, was impressed by Degrelle’s success, attributing it to “Rex-appeal.” Like some others, he saw a chance to purge the calcified political system. A coup d’état was being considered. After consultations with the Royal Palace, Colonel Chardonne[12], the newly appointed commander of the elite regiment Chasseurs d’Ardennes, took the initiative. Degrelle unveiled that “The most well-known and popular officer of the Belgian army, General Chardonne, sent me a letter offering to bring all his men to Brussels by special train. The elite Chasseurs d’Ardennes would clear the grounds within one hour. The King (thus his Secretary told the Rexist deputy Pierre Daye), had ordered not to oppose this in any way.”[13] Degrelle declined the offer, which says a lot about his respect for the rule of law.

Nevertheless, Degrelle despised democracy as a political system and instead preferred one based on the leader principle, the so-called “Führerprinzip.” In 1936 this was to be found in Europe in Germany, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Austria and to some extent in Poland as well. There were fascist parties in England, France, the Netherlands and Romania enjoying growing popularity. Belgium could be said to belong in that list as well.

REX’s election victory indicated that a “far right” government might be possible in Belgium as well. The situation in France was comparable. For a moment it would seem that a National Socialist, Fascist or similar government could come to power. That disaster was diverted at the last moment by an alliance between anticlerical “Radicals,” Socialists and Communists at the elections of early May in 1936. They achieved an ample majority in Parliament. After the 1936 elections in Belgium, in order to ensure that REX would not come to power, the Cardinal of Malines, as head of the local Church, forbade the faithful to vote REX.

Nevertheless, after his resounding victory, 29-year old Degrelle had become a key political figure with international connections. When he visited Berlin in 1936, Hitler invited him for a long private conversation. When he first visited Italy in 1929 he had already become close friends with Mussolini. In 1939, General Francisco Franco (who had just defeated the Socialists and Communists in the Spanish Civil War) invited him to Spain as the special guest of the Falange party. Degrelle also visited England, having lunch with Winston Churchill in the Houses of Parliament, also meeting with other Members of Parliament. However, when accepted opinion in Belgium and elsewhere in Western Europe turned against Hitler’s new Germany, Degrelle promptly severed his ties with German National Socialists.

Germany’s unexpected and rapid economic, social and political recovery was quite disconcerting for the “proper Left” and “progressives” in France, England and elsewhere in Europe, including Belgium. Leading press outlets generally depicted Hitler as the incarnation of absolute evil. Who said so? Communists of course, but also Socialists, Liberals and many “Christian Democrats” (Roman Catholics and Protestants). Jews also considered Hitler to be absolute evil, in spite of his alliance with Jewish colonists in what was then still called Palestine, and which allowed for the mass import of German industrial goods and technology[14].<

Hitler wanted war, so it was said. Hitler wanted to destroy Europe, the voices of decency asserted. However, nobody dared admit or even realize that Hitler only wanted peace. Yet war was inevitable, it was said, and Hitler needed to be stopped at all cost.

However, not everyone was a warmonger, thought war was inevitable or wished one would break out. Degrelle said that only Free Masons, Socialists and Jews wanted war and were doing anything in their power to bring one about.

Léon Degrelle and many Belgians, including leading politicians such as the Socialist Paul-Henri Spaak[15], but especially also King Leopold III, stressed that Belgium was a neutral country and needed to stay neutral at all cost. The small nation stood nothing to gain from a war which, like so often in the past, would be largely fought on its territory. The more emphatically Degrelle, in his articles and speeches stressed that Belgium needed to remain neutral, the louder the warmongers shouted that Hitler was a such a great danger that neutrality was not an option, if only on moral grounds.

In the end the warmongers got what they wished for, because on September 1, 1939 the German armed forces invaded Poland. Encouraged by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his English allies, the Poles had broken off negotiations with the Germans to find a peaceful solution for a bothersome border issue. Since initially there was only a war between Germany and Poland, without third-party involvement it would have been perfectly possible that it would end as quickly as the 1920 war between Poland and Soviet Russia, when Poland was the agressor. But this time tings got complicated. On September 3 England and France declared war on Germany, turning the limited war into a “World War.”

The English and French participation had no immediate consequences. Perhaps the Poles had been hoping for reinforcements, but nothing came of it. English and French immobility might be explained because of reputed secret plans to attack Germany together with the Soviet Union, for which the Soviets would first need to gain control of the Baltic Republics and to neutralize Finland. That was done in the winter of 1939-1940, but stiff Finnish resistance was an unexpected obstacle[16].

Eventually it was Germany that on May 10 attacked France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Within a matter of weeks, the superior German army defeated all three enemy armies, plus the English expeditionary forces. Eventually, Belgium did not preserve its true and strict neutrality. Secret agreements were made with the French high command and a French liaison officer was stationed in Brussels. In 1938 much of the National Bank’s gold reserves was brought to London[17]. These actions meant that Belgium was not going to stay neutral when war broke out. The Belgian army surrendered on May 28.

After the humiliating defeat of the French and English and the precipitous escape of the English back to their island from Dunkirk, Belgians had lost their respect for them. The English especially were universally hated in Belgium and much of Northern France, because of their scandalous misbehavior. “As they were running away, the English destroyed bridges, viaducts and telephones everywhere, summarily executing totally innocent ‘suspects’. Some crimes, which quickly became known all over the country, gave the islanders a particularly nasty reputation, especially the orgy where they entered a convent between Tournai and Ath, ripping the habits off the nuns and putting these on themselves. The stark naked, terrified nuns were forced to lie down in the convent garden, where such scenes had never before occurred. In the summer of 1940, the Belgians were fed up with the English. All over the country the French and English were despised and this feeling was universal.” [18]

Meanwhile, the entire Belgian government, many members of parliament and some two million civilians had run away to find refuge in France. On the day of the German invasion, the government had ordered the arrest of a number of political figures. Despite enjoying parliamentary immunity, Léon Degrelle was among these. Together with Joris van Severen[19], leader of the militant Verdinaso, Union of Dutch and Flemish National Socialists, and twenty others, he was taken to the French border and handed over to the French authorities. In Abbeville, just across the border, the small group was murdered by the French police. Degrelle escaped that fate because the executioners believed he might give valuable information on account of his supposed close ties with the Germans. Degrelle was brutally beat up but since he could not tell them anything, he was taken away and eventually put in the Vernet concentration camp in Southern France, run by the democratically elected, Socialist and Communist dominated French government. It was one of several dozens of such camps with a total of 300,000 inmates, many of them Jewish refugees from Germany and Poland. In the meantime, everyone believed that he had been murdered as well.

After an ordeal of ten weeks, Degrelle emerged and returned to Brussels, where great changes had taken place. The King had surrendered as the commander-in-chief of the army, but was not taken prisoners, like the officers and men. The King continued to represent lawful authority, while at the same time the government had fled to London, claiming true legitimacy. In June, Socialist politician Henri De Man[20], leader of the BWP/POB (Belgian Socialist Party) became de facto head of a new government that collaborated with the occupation authorities. Spaak, though now safely in London, believed that German domination was to last for a long time “Hitler for a thousand years” (Hitler pour mille ans), as he put it[21]. When still in France, Spaak had suggested to form a government consisting of himself, De Man and Degrelle that would collaborate with the Germans. The King also seemed to support that proposal. However, Degrelle preferred to stay away from politics, since he failed to see how the national interest would be truly served in that way. The Pierlot government suggested he re-issue his own newspaper Le pays réel in collaboration with Germans, provided it would be truly “Belgian”[22]

Belgium was put under a German military governor, General von Falkenhausen[23], but the administrative structure continued intact and government officials kept their jobs. What changed was public opinion. Most Belgians were coming to realize that collaboration was the only way to survive. A majority therefore decided to “collaborate,” even as this was being condemned severely by the government that had fled to London. But the Belgians needed to live, eat and feed their families. The fact they had formed a favorable image of the Germans came in handy[24]. King Leopold himself approved of collaboration and recommended it himself..

On June 22, 1941 the entire situation changed radically, and in an unforeseen way. That was the day that Operation Barbarossa began, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. As it turned out later, the attack took place just before Soviet leader Stalin had planned to invade Germany and Western Europe. For that purpose, he had concentrated more than five million Red Army troops along the common borders, but now the roles had been reversed. Since the Red Army was prepared for an offensive, it was not ready for defensive operations. Therefore, the German invasion was successful, advancing rapidly as masses of Red Army soldiers surrendered[25].

Many Europeans immediately realized that the invasion essentially was the big fight against Communism, which had caused so much havoc in Russia. Degrelle was one of them and thereupon decided to enlist in the German army. Thousands of Europeans did the same and volunteered as well. Eventually there were hundreds of thousands of them. Degrelle insisted on serving as a common soldier while refusing to accept the officer rank that Hitler gave him. He did not hesitate to expose himself to the dangers of frontline battle and showed impressive personal courage as he was wounded five times (twice seriously). Degrelle soon was made a Corporal and rose through the ranks at astonishing speed, becoming a Colonel in 1944. In the meantime, he had joined the Waffen-SS, where in 1945 Hitler made him a General. Degrelle was repeatedly decorated for bravery, hand-to-hand combat and received the different grades of the Iron Cross, Germany’s highest military distinction. He was taken by plane from the front to the Wolfsschanze, Hitler’s headquarters, in order to receive these highest decorations in person. Hitler had a great sympathy for Degrelle: “If I had a son, he should have been like you.”

When. after the allied landings in Normandy in June of 1944 it was becoming obvious that Germany was going to lose the war, Hitler realized that there was probably no one better suited to be the leader of a renewed, unified Europe than Degrelle. This had become the major cause in the battle at the Eastern Front and Degrelle stresses this constantly: it was a struggle for a new Europe that was to be built on sound principles instead of the rotten and corrupt ones of the past. The hundreds of thousands of brave young Waffen-SS soldiers were to be the basis and leaders of this new Europe. Some 18,000 Belgians served in the Waffen-SS, alongside about 20,000 (50,000 according to other sources) from the Netherlands, 15,000 Italians, 8,000 Frenchmen and 6,000 each from Denmark and Norway. Many volunteers hailed from Estonia (20,000), Latvia (80,000), but also from Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary (20,000), Romania (50,000) and the USSR (several tens of thousands), as well as from neutral Sweden (500) and Switzerland (2,000). Note that some 4,000 Indians also reported for SS duty. Eventually, however, the Waffen-SS became a pan-European elite force.

After the fall of Stalingrad on 31 January, 1943 and the Battle of Kursk, the German army was forced to retreat because it proved unable to withstand the numerical, tactical and strategic superiority of the Red Army. When Degrelle was in Belgium towards the end of 1944, the Batlle of the Bulge took place there, whereby American troops were cornered by the Germans and forced to withdraw. In those days a special military tribunal sentenced Degrelle in absentia to death for “war crimes.” Later research revealed that he was completely innocent, but the sentence was never retracted.

When the German armed forces surrendered on 7 May, 1945, Degrelle was in Northern Germany cornered between the Red Army and English units. He managed to escape through Denmark and reach Norway, where he hoped to find a submarine to take him to Japan that was still fighting. However, the only way out was flying to Spain in a twin-engined Heinkel-111 bomber. He barely managed, because the aircraft ran out of fuel and had to make an emergency landing in La Concha, the bay in the center of the luxury resort San Sebastián. Degrelle was seriously wounded and had to be taken to the local military hospital. This proved to be a blessing in disguise, because since he was badly wounded he could not be transported, which the Belgian government fresh out of London insisted upon: they wanted Degrelle extradited.

What were those terrible crimes that Degrelle was charged with? In the first place those “war crimes” he had not committed, nor could he have, because at the very moment they were committed, he demonstrably was somewhere else. Secondly, he was charged with “collaboration” for having served in the German army and the Waffen-SS. In 1946 the Nuremberg Kangaroo Court had declared the SS to be a “criminal organization.” As for “collaboration,” supposing he had “collaborated”, why was only Degrelle being prosecuted? After all, “collaboration” had been quite widespread in Belgium. The business elite was even among the first to declare its willingness to work for the Germans[26].

The working class also collaborated. Attracted by superior primary and secondary German labor conditions, an estimated 400,000 Belgian workers took jobs in Germany to work in the arms industry or building new Luftwaffe airfields. Construction jobs for the Atlantic Wall also attracted many[27].

Degrelle’s presence in Spain was rather uncomfortable for the Franco government. After he had regained his health in 1946, the Madrid government came under increasing pressure to extradite him. Degrelle himself declared to the press that he was willing to return to Belgium on the condition that he would get an honest, public trial. However, since Degrelle’s Belgian citizenship had been taken away from him by the Belgian government, there was no longer a legal basis for extradition. In order to settle the issue once and for all, Franco decided to “expel” Degrelle, making it appear as if he had been put across the border with Portugal, ending any Spanish responsibility for the fugitive.[28] In fact, Degrelle was taken to a secret hideout in Madrid where he needed to remain for more than a year.

After Franco’s clever exchange act, Degrelle could build up a new life in Spain. It was impossible to return to Belgium where he would certainly be sentenced to death and executed after a show trial, for things he never committed. Such was the legal system in a democracy, especially in the early postwar period. Fortunately, some influential Belgians were not very enthusiastic about Degrelle coming back. Foremost among them was Spaak, for the simple reason that during a trial, Degrelle would surely talk about his attempts at “collaboration” in 1940.

On his part, Degrelle kept informing the Belgian public by means of books and pamphlets. In 1949 he published a book in Switzerland about the gang of ruthless warmongers that had driven Belgium to ruin and who afterward nonetheless had no qualms about collaborating with the Germans: La cohue de 1940 (The Tumult of 1940). In the same year in France, he published a book on his experiences at the Eastern Front: La campagne de Russie, 1941-1945, republished later with the title Front de l’est 1941-1945. More about the Eastern Front is also to be found in Tintin mon copain. In 1969 Degrelle published a book in Paris on the political history of Belgium and Europe from 1930 to the 1960s: Hitler pour mille ans, while in 1975 in Brussels and Paris he published a collection of letters to Belgian Cardinal Suenens[29] and King Baldwin together with some interviews: Lettres à mon Cardinal.

Degrelle did reach the Belgian public, but chiefly indirectly. An important moment was when in 1977 Jean-Michel Charlier made a report on Degrelle (Autoportrait d’un fasciste) for the French TV series Les Dossiers Noirs. It contained extensive interviews with Degrelle that were published in book form in 1985 in Paris with the title Léon Degrelle persiste et signe[30].

Since his first meeting with Hitler in 1936 Degrelle never made it a secret that he admired the German leader. At the end of his life he still solemnly declared to be loyal to Hitler saying that only Hitler could have saved Europe by keeping out both Soviet Communism and US Hypercapitalism. He insisted that was precisely the reason why he enlisted in the German army. Since after 1945 Hitler has become the embodiment of everything that is evil and bad, as it were the Devil in person, such declarations seem sort of odd. Many see in this a reason to reject Degrelle as a person and decide never to read anything by him or about him. However, almost a century after the end of the Second World War one should ask oneself if Hitler truly was as horribly evil as he is being portrayed in the US (and the American Empire of which the EU is a part), and in Russia. After 1945, all evil deeds attributed to Hitler have been perpetrated by others, who nevertheless were never held responsible, especially if they were allies of the US.

Since 1944, the ruers of Belgium and their minions in the media and the publishing industry have done everything thy could to vilify Degrelle, to ridicule and insult him and to present an official version of national history while scrupulously avoiding to mention his name. The efforts range from outright slander by means of extensive plagiarizing from Degrelle’s writings and combining that with undocumented anecdotes, to apparently objective tv documentaries[31]

Degrelle was the founder and leader of a political party that seemed poised to cause a radical turnaround by ending a thoroughly corrupt system, but he system was able to prevent this. However, Degrelle was never forgiven for the attempt. The other grievance held against Degrelle is his successful career in the Waffen-SS. Although he never hurt any Belgian, he was blamed for his very success. Degrelle has been eliminated from history. And yet he was probably the most important Belgian of the Twentieth Century, who deserves to be admired rather than to be despised.

However, that is the way things go in Western Europe. Whether it is about “Covid,” the Ukraine, climate, the environment or any other controversial issue: there is only one approved way of looking at it, which is that of the state, the political elites and the mainstream media. It is the same powerful, self-righteous clique one finds everywhere. Anybody who begs to differ is a “conspiracy theorist,” sits in a rabbit hole, spreads “disinformation” or “fake news” or is “far right.”

We are back in the Middle Ages, but most people don’t realize it. Like then, there are faithful and heretics. The latter need to disappear or be burnt on the stake.

In a certain manner, however, despite the seemingly successful effort to erase Degrelle from collective memory, especially in Belgium, Degrelle lives on in unsuspected form. Namely as Tintin, the dauntless, morally straight and loyal reporter who since 1929 has been fighting criminals, conspirators, and generally all sorts of evil all over the world. From the Soviet Union to Africa, from the Middle East to China, and from Europe to the Americas. More than 270 million Tintin albums in some seventy languages have been sold all over the world to an enthusiastic reading public from 7 to 77 years old. Since they all love and admire Tintin, they can be said to love and admire his “double” Léon Degrelle as well. Surely that is the main reason why Degrelle’s last book, “Tintin, my buddy” has been so quickly declared illegal and taken out of circulation. Allegedly because it contained copyrighted material owned by the Hergé Foundation, which is now being run by the second husband of Hergé’s widow and second wife.

What sort of person was Léon Degrelle really? As a boy he kept to himself, read a lot and enjoyed nature, since he was also a Boy Scout. He was not afraid to be himself and to come forward when necessary. He fundamentally remained the same despite several profound turning points during his life. On film and video, Degrelle speaks emphatically, in a slightly raised voice, not afraid to use popular expressions, and clearly enunciating his point of view in a straight manner. A bit of the magic attraction he must have had when addressing those massive REX crowds is still noticeable. According to the Duchess of Valencia, Degrelle had a strong intuition that more than once proved to be life-saving. At the same time he had a marked telepathic sensibility allowing him to make sound judgments within a split second. Degrelle himself declared he could also levitate sometimes, especially while giving a speech.

There is no denying that Degrelle was a very special person. Very confident, brave, generous, Christian and deeply religious, honest, loving and a loyal friend. Most of all, he was honest with himself, a very rare quality, especially in the modern “West” that is collapsing as we speak.

At first, Degrelle wanted to be a poet and he became one, a very passionate one indeed. Then he became a journalist, a reporter and the model for Tintin. As he moved into politics, he married and became a father. His first child, a daughter called Françoise, died in his arms when she was only three months old (May 6, 1932)[32]. Such an event marks one for life, leaving a wound that never heals.

The political phase of Degrelle’s life lasted from 1932 to 1940, when he had another deeply traumatic experience narrowly escaping execution and being sent to a concentration camp. Afterward while at the Eastern Front, he again more than once escaped being killed without becoming less courageous as a result. During the flight from Oslo to San Sebastián in the night of May 7, 1945 he narrowly escaped death once again.

While living in Spain from 1945 to his death in 1994, at least five times Degrelle escaped from being kidnapped and a certain death after some show trial. The would-be kidnappers, from Belgium, Israel and France never managed to capture Degrelle, which is a sort of miracle in itself.

In the Middle Ages, someone who so often escaped death would be considered to have enjoyed divine protection and would have been universally respected and admired.

Since we are back in the Middle Ages, why indeed don’t we all respect and admire Degrelle?

He surely seems to deserve it.

Notes

[1] Norbert Wallez, 1882 – 1952, Belgian Roman Catholic Priest. From 1924 to 1933 Director of Société Nouvelle “Presse et Librairie,” Owner of Le XXe Siècle.
[2] According to Wikipedia “Is A Pejorative Term and Internet Meme Mostly Used for an Individual Who Promotes Socially Progressive, Left Wing or Liberal Views, including Feminism, Civil Rights, Gay and Trans Gender Rights, and Multi Culturalism.”
[3] Dutch Poet Jan Jacob Slauerhoff (1898 – 1936) Also Wrote about It De Op Stand van Guadalajara (1937)
[4] Léon Degrelle – Tintin Mon Copain, Éditions Pélican D Or, Klów, 2000, Page 16
[5] Louis Picard, 1886 – 1955, Belgian Cleric, Leader of the ACJB.
[6] Paul Crokaert, 1875 – 1955, Belgian Roman Catholic Politician
[7] Duchesse de Valence – Degrelle M A Dit, Le Baucens, Brussel, 1961, Page 114
[8] Gaston Philips, 1884 – 1951, Belgian Banker, Senator from 1930 to 1936. Degrelle Wrote about him, Philips, Sénateur Catholique, Commandeur de l’Ordre de Saint Gregoire Le Grand, Banquier Louche et Faussaire Démasqué, Éditions Degrelle, Kessel Loo, 1936
[9] Hans Vogel – Argentinië. Land van Vlees en Bloed, Amsterdam Books, Amsterdam, 2024, Page 147 – 162
[10] Léon Degrelle – Hitler pour 1000 Ans, La Table Ronde, Parijs, 1969, Page 45
[11] The Voting Percentages were, BWP, Socialists, 32%, 70 of 202 Seats in the Chamber of Deputies, 39 in the Senate, Catholics, 27%, 61 and 34 Seats, Liberals 12,5%, 23 and 11 Seats.
[12] Lambert Chardonne, 1884 – 1960. Belgian Soldier. General in 1940, In 1944 Contemplated Joining Degrelle S Walloon Legion of the SS.
[13] Degrelle – Hitler, Page 66
[14] Hans Vogel – How Europe Became American, Arktos, London, 2021, Page 159 – 160
[15] Paul Henri Spaak, 1899 – 1972, Belgian Socialist. Prime Minister from 1938 to 1939
[16] Vogel – Europe, Page 210 – 213
[17] L Cohen – Het Jaar 1938, De Toren Trans, Zeist, 1939, Page 60
[18] Degrelle – La Cohue de 1940, Page 121
[19] Joris van Severen, 1894- 1940, Belgian Politician
[20] Henri De Man, 1885 – 1953, Belgian Socialist
[21] Spaak Allegedly Said “On Croyait Hitler Maître de L Europe pour Mille Ans”, “We Thought Hitler was the Master of Europe for A Thousand Years“, Leon Degrelle – Lettres à Mon Cardinal, Debbaudt, Brussels, 1975, Page 30
[22] Degrelle – La Cohue de 1940, Page 54
[23] Alexander von Falkenhausen, 1878 – 1966, German Soldier, Advisor of the Chinese Army, 1934 – 1938, Military Governor of Belgium, 1940 – 1944
[24] Degrelle – La Cohue de 1940, , Page 124
[25] Vogel – Europe, Page 225 – 229
[26] Degrelle – La Cohue de 1940, Page 64 – 70
[27] Degrelle – La Cohue de 1940, Page 245
[28] It was Another Government Agent, Masquerading as Degrelle, Who was Allegedly Put across the Border. José Luis Jérez Riesco – Leon Degrelle In Exile 1945-1995 Antelope Hill Publishing, 2022, Page 59 – 70
[29] Leo Joseph Suenens, 1904 – 1996. Belgian Cleric. Cardinal of Malines from 1962 to 1979
[30] Pérez Riesco – Degrelle In Exile, Page 354
[31] See the Curious Volume Degrelle. Brussel | Rusland | Madrid In the Series “Dossier 1940 – 1945” Listing Jan Bauwens as Author, De Goud Vink, Antwerp, 1964 (?), and the Documentary Series Made by State TV Journalist Maurice de Wilde
[32] Valence – Degrelle, Page 117